Clematis Plant Named &#39;Evipo101&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new Clematis plant with a compact growth habit, profuse, violet purple flowers, and continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation in commercial nursery culture. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation from vegetative cuttings.

Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis. Species: viticella.

Variety denomination: ‘Evipo101’.

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematisplant which originated from a controlled crossing between the femaleseed parent, an un-named seedling, and the male pollen parent, anun-named seedling. Both parent varieties are non-patented.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2006 and the resultingseeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment inGuernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. The new variety named‘Evipo101’ originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new Clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parentand male pollen parent by the following characteristics. The female seedparent grows to a height of 100 cm, while the new variety grows to aheight of 60 to 80 cm. The male seed parent has an overall growth heightof 100 cm, while the new variety grows to a height of 60 to 80 cm.

The objective of the hybridization of this Clematis plant was to createa new and distinct variety for nursery culture with unique qualitiessuch as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant violet purple flowers;    -   2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable for        container culture; and    -   3. Improved disease resistance.

This combination of qualities was lacking in Clematis plants that werein commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety.

‘Evipo101’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison intheir Clematis development program in the Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom in 2007. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo101’ by means ofvegetative cuttings and traditional layering was first performed byMogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summerof 2007. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo101’ are true to type andare transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Evipo101’.

Specifically illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings is an open flower,tepals detached showing reproductive flower parts, flower buds atvarious stages of development, and a seed head.

FIG. 2 shows mature and juvenile leaves and stems. Illustrated plantsare 2 years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo101’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in Denmark. Observed plantswere cultivated for a period of 24 months in 2 liter containers. Certainphenotypical characteristics of the variety may vary under differentenvironmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, and climatic conditions.Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London,England) Colour Chart, 2001, except where common terms of color areused.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the Clematisvariety ‘Evipo017’ described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,163 are compared to ‘Evipo101’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Evipo101’ ‘Evipo017’ Flower diameter 100 to 120 mm 100 to 130mm Tepal upper Violet Group 85A Violet Group 85A with surface after withother intonations intonations of Violet Group opening of Violet Group85D. 85D at the basal zone. Tepal count Normally 6, 8 occasionally up to10.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Recurrent. The natural flowering period is generally    from April to September.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Normally 22 mm in length. Bud diameter is 12 mm.        -   Bud color.—Yellow-Green Group 145B with light intonations of            Greyed-Red Group 181D at the apex. At ¼ opening the tepals            are Violet-Blue Group 91B.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Surface texture.—Smooth, lightly pubescent.        -   Length.—On average 25 to 40 mm in length with 2 mm diameter.        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 145A.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.-   Receptacle:    -   -   Surface texture.—Smooth, lightly pubescent.        -   Shape.—Broad funnel.        -   Size.—1 mm (h)×3 mm (w).        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 145A.-   Flower arrangement:    -   -   Location on vine.—New growth only.        -   Borne.—Singly.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Size.—100 to 120 mm in diameter and 20 mm in depth.        -   Profile.—Flowers are initially concave, turning to convex as            flowers mature.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lasting quality.—Flowers normally remain up to 10 days on            the plant.-   Tepals:    -   -   Tepal color.—Upon opening, the upper surface is Violet Group            85A with other intonations of Violet Group 85D. The lower            surface is Violet Group 85B with a Yellow-Green Group 145B            stripe. After opening, the upper surface is Violet Group            85B. The lower surface after opening is Violet Group 85C            with a stripe of Yellow-Green Group 145C.        -   Quantity.—Normally 6 tepals, occasionally up to 10.        -   Size.—50-60 mm in length by 22-35 mm wide.        -   Overlap.—Slight to none.        -   Shape.—Elliptic. The tepal apex is acuminate. The tepal base            is typically acute.        -   Apex recurvature.—Slight.        -   Tepal cross section.—Flat, very lightly flexed downward.        -   Margins.—Entire. Some tepals exhibit strong undulations.        -   Persistence.—Tepals drop off cleanly.-   Reproductive parts:    -   -   Pollen.—None observed.        -   Anthers.—Size: 5 mm in length. Color: Greyed-Purple Group            187A. Quantity: On average, 110.        -   Filaments.—Color: Yellow-White Group 158B. Length: 10 mm.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: On average, 80.        -   Stigmas.—Superior in location relative to the length of the            filaments and the height of the anthers. Color: Yellow Group            4C.        -   Styles.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 145C. Length: 15 mm.-   Seed head characteristics:    -   -   Size.—45 mm in height. 45 mm in diameter.        -   Quantity.—About 70 seeds per seed head.        -   Style appearance.—Plumose, semi-erect.

PLANT

-   Plant form: Climbing.-   Plant growth: Moderate vigor.-   Size: Seasons growth attains 60 to 80 cm in height. Average spread    is 50 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Juvenile stems are Greyed-Orange Group 166A. Mature            stems are Greyed-Orange Group 166A.        -   Internodes.—On average, 60 to 80 mm between nodes.        -   Length.—Normally 20 cm from the base of the plant to the            flowering portion of the stem.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Texture.—Mature stems are lightly ribbed.-   Plant foliage:    -   -   Leaf characteristics.—Deciduous.        -   Arrangement.—Ternate.        -   Leaf size.—Compound leaves are 90 to 170 mm (l)×70 to 150 mm            (w). Leaflets are 35 to 60 mm (l)×15 to 30 mm (w).        -   Abundance.—On average 2 leaves per 10 cm of stem.        -   Leaf color.—Juvenile upper Yellow-Green Group 144A with            marginal intonations of Greyed-Red Group 179A. Juvenile            lower Yellow-Green Group 144A with marginal intonations of            Greyed-Red Group 179A. Mature upper Yellow-Green Group 146A.            Mature lower Yellow-Green Group 147B        -   Stipules.—Absent.        -   Petioles.—Size: Normally 40 to 75 mm in length by 2 mm            diameter. Texture: Lightly pubescent. Color: Greyed-Orange            Group 166A.        -   Petioloule.—Size: 5 to 35 mm in length by 2 mm diameter.            Texture: Lightly pubescent. Color: Greyed-Orange Group 166A.        -   Leaflet shape.—Elliptic. The base is rounded, apex acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Surface.—The upper side is smooth, the lower side is            slightly rugose.        -   Thickness.—Moderate.        -   Glossiness.—Not glossy.-   Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks the    species. However the variety is more tolerant to Clematis wilt,    Ascochyta clematidina, than some Clematis known to the inventors.-   Cold hardiness: The variety is tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zone 6.-   Heat tolerance: The variety has been found to be suitable for    climate conditions found in the American Horticulture Society heat    zone 7.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Clematis plant named‘Evipo101’, substantially as described and illustrated , due to itsabundant violet purple flowers with good keepability, attractive longlasting foliage and compact growth, suitability for production fromsoftwood cuttings in pots, durable flowers and foliage which make thevariety suitable for distribution in the floral industry.